Opposition presidential candidate: Maithri or Gota?
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What should be done is to form a broad coalition and then decide who the presidential candidate would be, said leader of the Pivithuru Hela Urumaya Udaya Gammanpila.

He noted that if anyone within the SLFP or the SLPP opposes their unity, then that person is one who supports the victory of the UNP.

The MP made these comments during a press briefing held at the Pivithuru Hela Urumaya headquarters yesterday (18).

He said this in response to a statement made by MP Mahinda Samarasinghe that if the SLPP fails to nominate Maithripala Sirisena as the presidential candidate there would be no coalition between the two parties.

Samarasinghe had made this comment in a special statement made to the weekend ‘Anidda’ newspaper.

No right to oppose Maithri:

Meanwhile, expressing his views to the Divaina Sunday supplement, MP Duminda Dissanayake had stated that opposition leader Mahinda Rajapaksa and the other MPs should support the presidential candidacy of Maithripala Sirisena without any SLPP conditions.

He stated that Maithripala Sirisena should be the only presidential candidate representing the SLFP led UPFA.

''Only Gota can win''

Meanwhile, Udaya Gammanpila said that the only candidate who is capable of winning the next presidential election is Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and he has the support of both the nationalists and leftist parties, adding that earlier the leftist parties had opposed his candidacy.

He said a broad coalition should be formed and this issue should then be discussed, adding that it was not adequate to nominate Gotabhaya Rajapaksa as the presidential candidate and simply wait. Everyone should work towards ensuring his victory and work towards making his the president.

What is important in a presidential election is not the party but the person who could obtain over 50% of the votes. Hence it is important to form the broadest possible coalition against the UNP to ensure victory, Gammanpila said.